To Be A Man
by Porkchop's Little Ditty
Summary: A brief conversation between a father and son on how to be happily married. More of a writing exercise to try out different points of view. Not to be taken as a serious story or collection of stories.
1. To Be A Man

Just a brief conversation between father and son on how to be happily married.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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Shikamaru stared at his breakfast as he occasionally poked a fork to move his eggs. The clock that hung on the wall across from where he was sitting seemed to tick awfully loud. 

_'4in morning'_ he thought in utter disbelief. _'This mission is going to be a drag.'_

While Shikamaru was not used to being awake so early, his father seemed just fine with it all. It wasn't unusual for him to be awake and getting ready to go off to the family owned forest and then to his research lab. This was his normal routine every day and the hour did not phase him in the least. Silently he sat behind his newspaper. Who knew if he was actually reading it or not?

"Quit playing at your food and eat, Shikamaru!" his mother barked from across the kitchen.

Rolling his eyes and mumbling under his breath, Shikamaru answered. "It's too early to eat."

"I did not make you breakfast just to play with it. Now start eating young man." she reprimanded him before turning to his father and altering her tone of voice.

"Would you like another cup of coffee Shikato?" she said sweetly.

"No thank you, dear." he lowered the paper to let her see his smile.

"Good. While your off doing whatever it is you do, could you stop at the cleaners and pick up my kimono for the wedding tomorrow?" She turned off the sink and dried her hands.

"Also, on your way home pick up a bunch of leeks from the grocer. I need them to make dinner."

Shikato continued to smile. "Yes dear."

And off she went out of the kitchen without another word.

Shikamaru glared at his father with a twitch in his eye. "I swear I'll never get married. Women are too troublesome."

"What makes you say that?"

"Tsk. I have no idea why you put up with the kind of demands she makes. She's so bossy."

Shikato laughed whole heartedly at his son. "Does that make me less of a man in your eyes?"

"Oh, I don't know about that Dad..." He squished face up some before proceeding with caution. "Wouldn't it make you a smart man to take the upper hand and not let her control you?"

Shikato stood up from his seat and put on his flak vest that hung around his chair. "For someone that can see through loopholes and devise amazing plans of action, I'm slightly disappointed you can't figure this one out on your own."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyebrows and inquisitively stared at his father.

Patting his son roughly on his back, Shikato bent low to whisper in his son's ear. "It takes a smart man to realize who really is the boss of the house. It's easier to just give into your wife than to live at war in your own home." He paused a moment and smiled as he continued his lesson. "Once you figure that out, you'll get married and never think of women as being troublesome again."

Shikamaru's eyes grew wide with understanding. His father revealed the most secretive rule for peaceful living between man and woman...

"I never knew you were as lazy as I am!"


	2. Mother's Day

"I know what I am supposed to do, Dad."

"I know you do." was the only answer Shikato supplied while taking note that his son was starting to look more like a man and less like a child.

"Then why do you insist on coming with me every year?"

"Because I need to get a gift as well." His eyebrow arched up as he looked to the side at the young man keeping in pace with him. "I didn't know going somewhere with your old man was such a hassle for you."

Truth is, if he wasn't such a hardass he would have told Shikamaru that he liked doing this together.

"It's troublesome." Shikamaru muttered under his breath.

"Troublesome to be out with me or troublesome to buy your mom a Mother's Day present?"

He slumped his shoulders and fit his hands back into his pockets. "I don't understand why you buy her a present too. It's not like she's your mother."

"You're right. Obaasan is my mother."

Shikamaru glanced up at the sky to watch some clouds float by. "Tsk. She should get you a present on Mother's Day for making it a holiday she can celebrate."

"She did." Shikato looked at his boy and smiled. "She gave me you."


End file.
